


Unusual Friends

by Ceffyl_Dwr



Category: Fate/Grand Order, Fate/stay night - All Media Types
Genre: Cursed Arm makes friends with a shephard, Cursed arm falls in love, First Kiss, Heartfelt, Other, Set during Cursed Arm's lifetime, Sweet, gender neutral!reader, lots of feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-08
Updated: 2020-02-08
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:01:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,653
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22607425
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ceffyl_Dwr/pseuds/Ceffyl_Dwr
Summary: Cursed Arm Hassan comes across a young Shephard. They start having tea together and chatting about their lives.Some psychoanalysis type shit, lots of feelings.
Relationships: Cursed Arm Hassan/Reader
Comments: 1
Kudos: 21





	Unusual Friends

**Author's Note:**

> I don't think any spoilers are needed. It's just some serene heartfelt moments between two people who normally wouldn't ever interact.

The shadow figure was back, hiding in the shade of a nearby tree. You were fairly impressed as the tree was on the scrawny side and barely cast a shadow at all. Still, this figure was perfectly hidden by it. You would have never noticed them except that you knew to look for the faint traces of bone white. They would only come to this tree, never once had you nor anyone you had known, talked to this shadow figure or been approached by it. It seemed you were the only one who had even noticed it and that had only been because your family’s sheep liked to graze over here.

Silently you placed a few slices of bread and hot tea by the gnarled raised roots of the tree. As you had before you watched the offering intensely, trying to get a better look at the figure. It wasn’t until you took a particularly long time to blink that the food and drink had disappeared, which was what always happened.

“Hello?” You called out, hoping that you wouldn’t be met with the same lack of response that you had received previously.

You were met with silence. The figure either couldn’t hear or simply wouldn’t respond. You took a sip from your cup as you leaned against the side of the tree that was bathed in the sunlight. You smiled as the soft rays warmed your skin and took another sip.

“It’s spring now so I added a few blossoms to the tea for a more floral taste.” You explained. “I think the bright yellow ones look pretty floating on top of the tea and the flavor is like honey but more delicate.” You looked over into the shadow but saw nothing save for a sliver of bone white. “Which do you prefer? The delicate blossoms of spring or the spicy winter flavors?”

Once again you received no reply. You had been trying to talk to this shadow figure for a couple months now. It wasn’t always near your village but now its visits had become more frequent. You didn’t know if the visitor was a man, a god, a demon, or a ghost. Judging by its ability to take materials items, such as teacups, it was corporeal which generally ruled out a ghost. 

“I like both, I can’t really decide. They both have their pros, like the gentle vibrancy of a lightly sweet spring tea and the spicy sweet darker tones of winter teas.” You began to ramble, encouraged by the idea that someone might actually be listening to you and enjoying simply airing your thoughts. 

As a shepherd you were often alone except for your flock. You went back to your village every few days but mostly it was just you, the flock, and the wind. To circumvent the loneliness you often talked aloud, even striking up fairly one-sided conversations with the sheep. So it wasn’t that odd for you to try to strike up a conversation with a shadow whether it be demonic, divine, dead, alive, or not even existent.

“Do you drink tea? Or perhaps you are like the men and prefer the more strong plain teas. Although…” You smiled to yourself. “I’ve noticed a few of the younger men sneaking the sweeter teas too. It may just be a masculine thing.” You shrugged and took another sip. “I can appreciate the simple flavor of a plain tea too but then the plants themselves have to really shine. I’ve heard the same of alcohol but I rarely ever drink that. It’s not that I dislike it, it’s more that my brothers always drink it all first. They’re faster than I am so I always get to the table too late.” Your laughter had a slight hollowness to it as you remembered several occurrences with a bittersweet fondness.

While reminiscing you lapsed into silence and went back to watching the sheep. Your attention drifted between the sheep and clouds. The wispy white streaks in the sky were nice to watch as they appeared, shifted, and disappeared. They changed much more than the barren earth landscape. You stayed like that until the sun had begun to arc downwards and the shade given by the tree continued its rotation.The tree really did provide very little shade but it was enough to be able to tell the time by. With a sigh you finished up your tea and packed away the cup in the bag attached to your belt.

“Oh!” You exclaimed, the same teacup you had lost track of now at the same place where you had left it, with the flower blossom neatly placed inside the center. “Thank you.” You said with a smile. “Did you like it or should I bring a different tea next time?”

There was no answer. Still, you weren’t deterred and happily packed away the cup. As you bent down you saw a candy, then two candies, then a trail of candies to the base of the shadiest part of the tree. When you grabbed the last one your hand brushed against something on the tree root. Curious you got closer and found a carving of a small flower, the same flower in your tea.

“So floral teas? I have a couple more of those.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Midnight had fallen over the desert. Everything was quiet, no wind rustled the weeds or blew the sand, and the only light came from the stars. You sat on the top of a hill looking out on the horizon bundled up in her blanket with a cup of steaming hot tea. Next to you was another cup of piping hot tea. You sighed contentedly and looked up at the stars as a shadow flitted towards your side. A smile settled on your face as you knew that your friend had taken your cup of tea. They had decided it best that you not look at them so you kept looking at the stars.

“Have you ever been outside the desert, beyond the mountains?” You asked.

“Yes.” The shadow quietly replied. “To many places.”

You sighed. “What was it like?”

The shadow siped the tea. “ A spicy blend, good for a night such as this.” It commented. “As for beyond the mountains...forests, dense green forests.”

“Like on the south border?” You asked, trying to imagine that much green which was a scarcity in the desert.

“Yes.” It replied. “It smells different, similar to after a storm but stronger.The wind blows differently since the dense foliage blocks most of the wind.” It explained. “But it has none of the dry heat of the desert. It’s like twilight in the desert but wet, the air is moist from the ocean.”

You took another sip, savoring the flavor on your tongue and the heat warming your throat. “The ocean? What’s that?”

“Hmmm…” The shadow hummed. “The ocean is a huge body of water, salty, and with no end, just water and the sky. The ocean is also filled with huge fish.”

You nodded. “ That sounds strange, I’d like to see it.”

The shadow took another sip. “You’re adventurous despite the timid way you held yourself.” It chuckled. “You’re a surprise. What is the true you I wonder?”

You blushed and laughed too. “I-I’m not a surprise I really am timid…”

The shadow fell silent. “...You fear the unknown, any kind of person can fear the unknown. But you don’t let your fear become distrust and hate.” 

“Well, that’s true. I don’t hate the ocean, I just want to see it. But...but I-!” You started but it cut you off.

“You fear others and your own inadequacies, without those you may have already seen the ocean.” It reasoned. “You have a traveler’s spirit, follow it.”

You barked out a hoarse laugh. “Yeah...but my whole life is being a shepherd. It’s how I have food and a house…”

It swirled the tea before drinking the last drops. “...The forests beyond the mountains have lots of grass. Perfect for grazing.”

You put a finger to your lips. “A forest shepherdess? Are there any in the forests?”

“Some, all you need to do is trek the mountains. Nothing you haven’t done before to bring back a lost ewe.” It noted. “You know the mountains fairly well actually, don’t you?” 

“...I do. I gather my favorite tea leaves from up in the mountains.” You admitted.

“I thought I recognized the smell of the yellow mountain poppies. They grow by the little lake at the base of the tallest mountain in the range.” It exclaimed with more excitement in its voice than you had heard before. “You’ve traveled deep into the mountains, you could trek to the other side.”

Your eyes lit up. “You...you really think so?”

“Yes...yes I do.” It replied fondly. “Would you like a tea from the forests?”

“Yes!” You shouted before remembering yourself. “Ah, sorry...I got excited.”

“It’s...nice. I’m not allowed to make such noise so it’s nice to see someone able to do so and enjoy it. It’s insignificant small things that you remember at odd times in your life.” It remarked. “Like tonight.”

“Like tonight…” You repeated. “I’ll...remember that.”

“Good...you deserve all the little good things in life.” It told you warmly.

Your blush grew. “T-thanks, you deserve them too...you said tonight? Uhm…” You chuckled nervously. “...is my tea, our tea times, one of those?”

“I take more pleasure in those than I should given my chosen lifestyle.” It admitted. “However, as I am only human, I allow myself this indulgence.”

“I like them too.” 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The mountains were windier than the usual sandy desert but the smell was nicer. You loved the wet smell, the damp earth, wet rock, and the wonderful aroma of the yellow mountain poppies. The wind whipped at the lake creating small splashes and obscuring what lay below. You took another deep breath and started gathering the poppies.

“I wonder if I really am close to those forests.” You mumbled to yourself, absentmindedly sniffing a poppy. “Could I make it and be back in time for the new season?”

Much to your amazement you received an answer. An errant gust blew a patch of grass apart to reveal a map drawn in the dirt. 

“Did you follow me up here or were you already here and I stumbled upon you?” You asked with a smile as you hurried over.

A poppy fell onto your head and you laughed. “That’s not an answer.”

“Given my lifestyle the latter would mean I would have been dead long ago.” The shadow chuckled. “In truth I had assumed you would be here around this time so I was waiting for you.”

“I’m...actually not that surprised. I have no idea how you knew I’d be here but it’s a nice surprise for me.” You admitted, sitting down on a rock near the map. “Should I prepare two cups of tea?”

“No no, I already did.” The shadow replied. “Check the branches of the tree a few feet to your left.”

Excitedly you began searching through the tree branches until you found two innocuous looking brown cups that blended into the tree bark almost perfectly. Your friend was quite the master at hiding and revealing. Carefully you took the two wonderfully warm cups and set one down next to the rock you sat on and took a sniff of the one you kept. It was earthy with notes of a faint sweetness. Perhaps a fruit you couldn’t recall.

“Please, try some before it gets cold. You’re shivering.” Your friend noted.

Your cheeks flushed pink as you were indeed shivering. “It is a little cold up here.” Suddenly you felt something soft and warm with a bit of weight fall onto your shoulders. “Oh no, I couldn’t take this, you must be cold too.”

Your friend chuckled again. “Temperature doesn’t bother me, I have been in both much hotter and much colder climates for much longer periods of time.” It explained. “Besides that’s a gift... for you.”

Your flush grew brighter. “M-me?”

“Yes, my friend.” It answered with a warm fondness.

You hugged the black shawl closer around your shoulders, it smelled like nothing but felt like the faintest of hugs. Vaguely you wondered if this would be like to hug your friend. A big smile curled your lips and you took another deep sniff of the tea before letting a sip trickle down your throat.

“It’s lovely, both the gift and the tea. Thank you.” You graciously said, a new softness to your voice. Tears pricked at the corner of your eyes. “It’s really, you didn’t have to…”

“I wanted to.” Your friend told you. “It warms me that my gift has such an effect on you. I had wondered if it was not enough of a...heartfelt choice.”

You took another sip, the flavors fairly foreign on your tongue but you found them tasty. “A heartfelt choice?”

The shadow sighed which sounded so much like the wind that you almost missed it. “So much of my life is my lifestyle that I sometimes wonder if there is anything left of..what I once was. There shouldn’t be and I had assumed such until I met you.” They confided. “You reminded me of what I gave up. The trade off was more than fair but...it’s only human to long for something, isn’t it?”

You nodded. “I think so. Humans are complicated, we can be happy and still wanting at the same time.” You paused to nuzzle into the soft fabric. “I am beginning to realize that there are things I want but don’t have or can’t have. It doesn’t mean I have to be miserable until I get them or guilty for wanting them. As you said, it’s human to want.” 

“So you have grown from our time together too.” Your friend whispered, you imagined the words were said with a smile. “If there’s one thing I would like to leave behind in this life as the only proof of my existence, it’s our friendship.”

A tear dripped into the dregs of your tea. “I’m honored that you think so highly of our friendship. I...I feel like I’m not worthy...but you have never lied to me. It…” The tears began to flow down your cheeks. “It makes me feel like...I have worth. The things we say...even the things I say…” You looked up at the blue gray sky. “..have worth. For the first time in a very long time I feel like I have...value, importance, worth. My thoughts, my very existence just...me. For being me.” You closed your eyes. “Kind of silly ri-!”

You were cut off as the most faint of touches ghosted across your lips, the pressure closer to a butterfly landing upon you than anything else. Another butterfly-like touch rested against your forehead. Your eyes remained closed as you could taste the tea on your lips but whether it was the tea that either you or your friend had you couldn’t tell. Although your eyes were closed it felt like your entire body had been wrapped in a comforting shadow.

“When I am alone, when I am in duress, and at last when I fade away, those will be the words that will bring me comfort. That will chase away my fears. They are the greatest gift I’ve ever received. I’m a little embarrassed my shawl is pales in comparison.” Your friend spoke as the darkness lifted and the touches disappeared.

Slowly you opened your eyes. “Your gift is my favorite. All three of them I’ll keep with me forever.”

“Three?” Your friend asked.

“The friendship, the shawl, and…” You touched your lips and sighed.

“...I suppose that could be a gift.” It responded, shock evident in its tone.

You smiled. “My first kiss.”


End file.
